How are you celebrating the 150th anniversary of Alfred North Whitehead‘s birthday? Not sure exactly which Whitehead that is? He’s the one who collaborated with Bertrand Russell on Principia Mathematica (1910–13) and developed a comprehensive metaphysical theory, of course. When you’re not reading Britannica’s article on Whitehead, here are some links that will make you learn and laugh…and think, as I go around the Web for February 15.

A New Ninth Planet? In 2005 the International Astronomical Union crushed the textbook industry by demoting Pluto, the little planet that wasn’t, in the process creating a whole new category of dwarf planet. Well, the textbooks (and encyclopedias) may just need to be revised again, as scientists using the NASA Wise telescope think that a giant planet that is four times the size of Jupiter (the largest planet) might be found in the outer Oort Cloud. The debate over whether this potential planet, named Tyche, has already begun, as some speculate “that Tyche probably formed around another star and was later captured by the sun’s gravitational field. They might even have to create a whole new category for the gas-ball giant.”

Neigh No More: The recession has been hitting local governments hard, and in a sad turn of events for those of us who love seeing the mounted horses on patrol, it has even caused the layoffs of some police horses. Michael Cooper writes on the New York Times on the disbandment of such a unit in Charleston, South Carolina, as well as in San Diego, Tulsa, Camden, and Boston. According to Mitchel P. Roth of Sam Houston State University, “It seems like horses are always among the first to go when it comes to budget cuts.” Are Budweiser’s Clydesdale’s next?

Is Space Sex Safe Sex? Some headlines just draw you in, don’t they. And, this one at the Atlantic definitely does. Erik Hayden of The Atlantic reports on a policy issued by NASA last year that prohibited sex in space. It certainly would be a problem, of course, if sex in the International Space Station resulted in a pregnancy, but research shows that “[s]pace appears to provide its own sort of contraception in the form of sterilizing proton particles that pass through ineffective shuttle shielding.” In thinking about future long journeys to Mars, according to Tore Straume, a biophysicist at the Ames Research Center that conducted the research: “The present shielding capabilities would probably preclude having a pregnancy transited to Mars.”

Death to Opposition Leaders? While Tunisia and Egypt have cast off long-serving presidents with relative ease (and, I use that term advisedly, since it certainly wasn’t bloodless, but 18 days in the scheme of 29+ years is pretty darn quick) and with protests spreading throughout the Middle East, Iran‘s government has countered demonstrations there with brute force and calls by some MPs for the death penalty for opposition leaders such as Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi. As Al Arabiya reports, “Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei said: ‘Those who created public disorder on Monday will be confronted firmly and immediately.’” The charge: that they are “Corrupt on Earth,” which brings with it the death penalty and is an offense that ranges from anything from robbery to espionage, according to the International Federation for Human Rights [PDF]. I didn’t think I’d find the day when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad can be considered the moderate one (in Iran, at least).

Death to Doctors? Closer to home, reports all over the Web today, including from Mother Jones, are focused on a bill being debated in South Dakota that might just legalize killing doctors who provide abortions, as it “would expand the definition of ‘justifiable homicide’ to include killings that are intended to prevent harm to a fetus—a move that could make it legal to kill doctors who perform abortions,” according to Kate Sheppard. The bill is being backed by state Republicans, and it cleared its first hurdle, out of committee, along party lines. For more information, see here, here, here, and here.

Born Not In The USA (According to GOP Voters): Obama can’t shake the suspicion among a sector of the American public that he was not born in the United States, no matter that the state of Hawaii has verified it, we can see his certificate of live birth, and Hawaii is even threatening to charge those asking for Obama’s birth records a $100 fee because of how often it are asked for. On Meet the Press this past weekend, Speaker John Boehner, Republican leader, wouldn’t stand up to those who say that Obama is Kenyan born, saying instead: “It’s not my job to tell the American people what to think. Our job in Washington is to listen to the American people.” According to a recent poll by the Public Policy Polling group (a liberal-leaning pollster), 51% of Republican voters think that President Obama was born outside the United States (28% knew that he was). That figure is an increase from 44% in August 2009.

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